The Cat and The Fox
by Tale-to-Tell
Summary: Everyone knows Sasuke and Naruto's relationship is a pretty strong one. Follow me as I go through their "adventures" in love. Some good, some bad, some ugly.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Naruto characters, no profit is being gained from this except hopefully some reviews.**

**Lyrics are from "The Queen and I" by Gym Class Heroes**

* * *

_Oh no,_

_She's at the bottom of that bottle_

_She's only one more swallow_

_From being, you know, so hollow_

_(Hey! Hey! Hey!)_

Dark, tired eyes fluttered open with a start. At first confused, they soon became angry and annoyed.

_Bravo, she's at the bottom of that bottle_

_She's only one more swallow_

_From being, you know, so hollow!_

As he lay there listening to the song pulsing loudly through the walls, Sasuke Uchiha knew at once the root of this evil: Naruto Uzumaki.

_I find it funny she can never find her car keys_

_Immediately after telling me she can't take it_

_She makes the cutest faces when she screams obscenities_

_And slurs her words because she's never not inebriated _

With a bitter growl, the raven attempted to block out the noise by rolling over and covering his head with the thick blankets.

_And the front page that I'd read_

_Let the girl go, you know you can do better_

_It's bad, when the fact that you can't have her_

_Is the reason you sweat her,_

_Don't let her take advantage of you_

_Like the other girls let her_

_You better cut your losses now buddy. _

Why, oh _why _had he let Naruto move in? Sure, the blonde's presence had its ups, but this was NARUTO; he should have foreseen the consequences.

_Cause baby girl's a queen_

_And a queen's a pawn with a bunch of fancy moves_

_And she's made me a fiend_

_I won't be withdrawed 'cause I got nothing to lose _

Still, the young Uchiha couldn't ignore how Naruto made him feel. It made things feel alright, okay, perfectly fine.

_Oh no,_

_She's at the bottom of that bottle_

_She's only one more swallow_

_From being, you know, so hollow_

Wait...why was he just lying here allowing this to go on? Why wasn't he out there verbally kicking Naruto's ass for waking him up this early?

_(Hey! Hey! Hey!)_

_Bravo, she's at the bottom of that bottle_

_She's only one more swallow_

_From being, you know, so hollow _

Hell, the dobe had even beaten the sun itself. From what Sasuke could see through the window, everything was still a pale grey. His eyes narrowed in contempt. This was getting ridiculous. If the raven was ever to get some more sleep, he would have to make a move soon.

_Drown yourself,_

_It's not worth keeping me_

_Just put it down right now,_

_And bow out gracefully_

...but the bed was perfect and comfortable. With an even louder and more angry growl, Sasuke began kicking himself free of the covers. After a minute or two of thrashing about, the dark haired boy managed to tumble straight out of bed. He landed with a painful sounding thump on the floor, sucking in air through his teeth as he struck his tailbone.

**"That damn Naruto..."**

_Oh no,_

_She's at the bottom of that bottle_

_She's only one more swallow_

_From being, oh, so hollow_

Meanwhile, our clueless fox-boy Naruto was at complete ease and listening to his music. He didn't realize how blaringly loud it was and probably could care less as he sat next to the stereo. The night had been rough for him because he wasn't used to sleeping in a new environment quite yet, and he felt like a mess without his usual amount of rest. The blonde was completely oblivious to the impeding doom that was now rounding the corner.

(_Hey! Hey! Hey!)_

_Bravo, she's at the bottom of that bottle_

_She's only one more swallow_

Blue eyes caught a figure standing there, and when they flickered over to investigate, enlarged to the size of two full moons.

_From being, oh, so hollow_

_(Hey! He-_

Naruto pressed the STOP button, abrubtly cutting off the song. He blinked with pure fear as he tried to register just what it was that was standing before him.

Sasuke glared back at him, his eyes vivid with rage. One hand was pressed to his tailbone while the other formed a fist so tight it whitened the knuckles. His black tank top and shorts were horribly disheveled, and his hair stuck out at odd angles. If Naruto had thought himself a mess before, he felt small in comparison to this utter _**catastrophe.**_

Oh yeah, he was in for it.

**"Naruto," **Sasuke said in a quiet, dangerous tone. The blond felt himself swallow a bundle of nerves.

**"Y-yes?"**

**"Do you want to live in a cardboard box?"**

The question seemed odd at first, but fox-boy figured it out soon enough. Uneasy and frightened, Naruto struggled to find a quick enough answer. Something told him the raven wasn't exactly patient at the moment.

**"S-Sasuke, I'm sorry...s-see, I'm not used to your apartment yet so I needed some music to calm me down-"**

He shut his mouth immediately when he saw the Uchiha's fists tighten even further. The air crackled with intensity, almost as if Sasuke was just barely holding himself back from crossing the room and strangling the blond on the spot.

**"Calm down with me?"** Naruto offered in a whimper, heart hammering wildly in his chest. He still wasn't quite sure why Sasuke was so angry with him, but then again his mind was still foggy from lack of sleep.

Since Sasuke couldn't make any sense of what was going on around him either, his anger gradually subsided until it became nothing more than a dull annoyance. He answered Naruto's question by stepping foreward, his face still cranky. At the blond's gesture he lie down close by, staring blankly up at the ceiling before rolling over onto his side. For a moment there was silence before Naruto pushed the play button again on the stereo.

Soft music wove through the air, peaceful music and turned down to just the right volume. It curled itself gently around the two boys resting back to back, one with a happy smile on his lips and the other with an expression devoid of emotion, masking the feelings inside.

Naruto found himself thinking of the way Sasuke's dark hair fell into his face when he was angry, or how he always managed to look painfully good even when having just been rudely awakened from a deep sleep. He was truly amazing, but there was no way he'd admit that to his roommate. Not yet, anyway...

Sasuke, on the other hand, found himself lost in thoughts about how Naruto made him feel. There was no denying that spark of happiness that he felt whenever the boy smiled at him. It almost made the raven smile back, almost. Ontop of that, he rather liked how the fox-boy looked in the sunlight, but those thoughts were strictly his alone.

The music played on, lulling them to sleep and carrying them to a place far away from the apartment. Even though they didn't realize it at the time, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha would soon grow so close, inseperable. They would feel a love that burned so fierce and intense that it rivaled even the sun. They would develop a bond so deep that it couldn't be broken even if the stars began to rain down from the sky. They would hurt one another and learn to love even more afterward.

While their story was just at its beginning, it all started from the very moment the two met as small children. Since then destiny had aligned itself, setting a path for them to walk as one. Fates had been intertwined, souls weaved together.

Sometimes love, as it turns out, is just plain inevitable.

* * *

Thanks for reading! That's the prolouge of my little SasuNaru story. Hope you guys enjoyed it, and reviews are nice. 3 Lemme know what you think!

- T-t-T


	2. Power's Out

**A word from the author:** Thanks for the reviews guys! It made me feel all blushy and grateful. Here's another chapter for y'all. Happy Valentine's Day!

* * *

If someone had been looking in through the window, they would have been met with a cute yet suspicious sight. For there, entangled in one another and looking totally comfortable, were our boys Naruto and Sasuke. The channel on the stereo had changed its tune a little in the past hour; it was now catchy techno-type songs that drifted about the room.

Unsurprising, Sasuke was the first one to awake. He shifted and was just arching his back in a stretch when something made him froze in mid-movement.

There were a LOT of things wrong with this picture, but the very first thing he noticed was that Naruto's face was much too close to his own. He attempted to lean backwards, but ended up pulling along the blond. Upon further inspection, Sasuke discovered with great shock that Naruto's arms were firmly wrapped around the raven's neck.

It was like a horror movie. Sasuke's eyes traveled downwards to observe the situation. His entire body was entwined with Naruto's, even their feet were curled together. It looked an awful lot like they had fallen asleep with one trying to seduce the other, and Sasuke didn't like it one bit.

Suddenly Naruto shifted and opened his blue eyes, blinking groggily. They didn't stay like that for long though, when they found an enraged pair of onyx ones glaring back.

**"Get. Off. Of. Me,"** Sasuke hissed.

Once again Naruto found himself shaking in Sasuke's penetrating gaze. There was something about those eyes that were so dangerous, so gripping.

But right now they scared the living hell out of him.

He apologized profusely and began frantically trying to free himself, accidentally kicking Sasuke in the knee cap and causing his second injury of the day. Sasuke resisted clubbing the blond over the head as they worked out the puzzle of untangling their legs.

Finally the "dobe" rolled away from Sasuke, having successfully broken them apart. Sasuke sat up with his back to Naruto, glaring down at his throbbing knee silently.

**"Sasuke, I didn't mean to! I mean, I had no idea..."** he reached out to set a hand on the other boy's shoulder, but he moved just out of his reach.

**"Don't touch me,"** he demanded without even a glance.

Naruto drew back quickly and the two sat in awkward silence as he racked his brain for some sort of excuse. He wasn't sure if his roommate wanted an apology or for him to just be quiet. After a while Sasuke stood up, albeit a little painfully, and headed for the bathroom.

**"Forget it. Just get ready to go out, there's some things I need to buy and there's no way I'm leaving you alone in my apartment."**

And with that, the raven disappeared around the corner. With the tension gone, Naruto let out a much-needed sigh. He wished his roommate didn't act like he hated him so much, it made him feel like the scum of the earth. Many different emotions attacked the blond then - from angry to sad to angry again. It just wasn't fair! No matter what went wrong, Sasuke always managed to pin the blame on him. Sure, Naruto DID wake him up too early AND had kicked him in the knee, but those were dumb little things, surely nothing that deserved the way he was treated.

He sat in the living room glumly, shoulders slumped and resembling a kicked puppy. The music that was meant to calm him before now increased his frustration and he turned the stereo off with a grumbled curse.  


* * *

Before long the two were heading for Konoha's square. Naruto was uncharacteristically quiet, knowing Sasuke's rules of not doing anything stupid while they were out. He felt like a puppy on a tight leash, but he knew better than to question his roommate. The raven's eyes were so powerful that he simply had to look at Naruto to remind him of his established rules.

It wasn't even like Sasuke needed or wanted a grocery shopping companion, he just took Naruto along so he didn't have to worry about finding the apartment in ruins. And so, the poor boy felt very much like a ghost drifting along, with no real purpose.

Sasuke bought everything he needed, one of them being milk. Naruto wasn't used to buying milk so frequently and nearly asked about it, but decided it might be better to just not. Once they returned home, Sasuke put away everything and stole off to his room, leaving Naruto right there in the kitchen. Fury swept up the blond like a wave, and he balled his hands into fists. There was only so much more of this treatment he could take!

Like a blood hound on the scent of a fox (ironically enough), Naruto stormed down the hall and right through Sasuke's door. He found the dark haired boy sitting by the window sill, watching the day go by with his usual emotionless expression. He didn't appear to be alarmed with Naruto stamping right up to him and waiting to be acknowledged. His dark gaze flickered over to the boy nonchalantly.

**"What are you doing in my room,"** the words were a question but his tone made it more of a statement.

**"Waiting for you to tell me why you're always acting like a jerk around me!"** came Naruto's half yelled reply. Sasuke blinked, almost like he wondered why Naruto was getting so worked up over it.

**"****I never said you could come into my room,"** he answered, ignoring the previous subject erupting the whiskered boy even further. Seeing Naruto get more huffed up and more ready to tear apart the room caused Sasuke to raise an eyebrow.

**"You just don't get it, do you?! You're always acting like you're better than me! Every day I have to deal with your stupid rules and your even stupider hair!"**

Hey, what can I say. Naruto was never very good at insults.

**"And as if that wasn't enough, here you are sitting like nothing's wrong! What is the MATTER with you?!"**

All the anger Naruto had unleashed made his chest heave and his breath come in pants. Sasuke just stared back at him, rather annoyed now.

**"Leave my room and stop breathing up my air,"** he finally said, a cold edge in his voice. He was losing patience.

Naruto's inner spark was now an inferno. With a howl of rage, he drew back his arm and swung out, about to teach Sasuke once and for all that he wouldn't just lie down and take it anymore. The space closed between Sasuke's face and Naruto's fist, it was so close...

Then, as luck would have it, the power went out.

Every light in the apartment snapped off at once. Outside a storm began its first wave of attack, the rain hammering against the window so hard it created little _'tink tink'_ sounds.

Naruto's knuckles were lightly touching Sasuke's forehead. Outside, a loud clap of thunder made the blond leap away. Sasuke watched him, a completely unimpressed look on his face.

**"See what happens when you let yourself get so emotional?"**

Naruto trembled with rage as Sasuke rose and brushed by him on his way to the door.

**"That's exactly what I'm talking about! You think you can act however way you wa-"**

The sound of the bedroom door closing made Naruto bite his lip. It was useless trying to prove a point to that thick-headed, bossy, snobby, jerkwadish, arrogant, cocky, sarcastic ass-

A gust of wind rattled the window, interrupting his thoughts. He could almost feel the apartment sway in the storm that had become relentless. Just like that, Naruto's anger faded and was replaced by nervousness.

He couldn't believe this, but he was actually worried for Sasuke's safety.

Hurrying out the door, he tried to keep himself from panicking.

**"Sasuke?"** he called out, his concern evident in his voice.

No reply.

**"Sasuke? Sasuke?!"  
**

Naruto frantically searched around, checking every room and freaking out even more when he found they were empty. He headed back down the hall towards Sasuke's bedroom, hoping he was just looking in the wrong side of the apartment.

In his haste, Naruto failed to notice the hallway closet door creak open. It was only until Sasuke emerged with a flashlight in his hand, the beam pointing up into his face as he tried to find the off switch, that Naruto was finally aware.

The blond let out a god-awful shriek and leaped backwards, arms up for defense.

**"S-Sasuke! Y-you're a ghost!"  
**

Sasuke's gaze slowly turned on him and again he cocked an eyebrow. He found the switch with his finger and snapped it off casually. Naruto instantly dropped his guard, ridiculously relieved.

**"O-oh...you scared me for a minute there...but thank god you're okay!"** he breathed, bending over and setting a hand on his chest.

The raven eyeballed him suspiciously. **"I was checking the generator. Do you really get scared that easily?"**

The question made Naruto blush with embarrassment.

**"N-no way! It's just that I don't really like storms is all..."**

Sasuke's expression told Naruto that he wasn't convinced.

**"Whatever. Listen, there's no way to tell when the power will come back on, so I suggest you find something to entertain yourself. Oh, and it's not going to be bothering me."**

Sasuke went into the kitchen to return the flashlight to its drawer, and headed for his room again.

Naruto didn't want to be alone. To put it simply, he REALLY didn't like storms or the dark. The only solution he could see was to stay with Sasuke, but the chances of that were very slim. Still, when he failed he wanted to be able to say he had tried.

**"Uh, Sasuke?"**

He stopped the Uchiha just before he slipped in through his door.

**"What?"**

**"Could I maybe...stay in your room with you?"  
**

Fingers crossed.

Long pause.

**"...didn't I say that you aren't going to bother me?"**

**"Yeah, and you were right! Please, I don't want to sit in the dark by myself...I'll be good, I promise!"  
**

Another long, suspenseful pause.

**"****...fine. But if you do anything that makes me regret this, anything at all, you're going on the roof."  
**

His decision voiced, Sasuke stepped into his room without even waiting to hear Naruto's grateful "thank you".

Naruto stood there a moment, surprised that he was triumphant. With a soft smile, he jogged down the hall to Sasuke's room, eager to get out of the dark.

Touching the door, he allowed himself one more thought before going in.

_Maybe he doesn't hate me after all..._

* * *

**That's it for this chapter! Now, I know where you all think this is going (or maybe you're one of the small handful that wasn't thinking about it), but there will NOT be a lemon in the next chapter. At this stage the boys are too young to be thinking of sex, so bear with me for now alright? The time will come...one day. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!**

**- T-t-T**


	3. The Doctor

**Hiya guys. Before I kick off the next chapter, I've a few things to say: one, I apologize for the lack of proper spacing. There were a couple areas in my last chapter that I originally spaced more for emphasis, but I wasn't able to keep them there for some reason. Secondly, if you guys have any suggestions as to what should happen in my story, please include them in your reviews and I'll be sure to consider them.**

**Now I'm going to shut up and write for ya.**

**

* * *

  
**

Even though Naruto and Sasuke were in the same room, the only sound to be heard was the rain outside pounding on the window. Sasuke sat by it, staring out just like he had earlier. He didn't bother to attempt a conversation.

Naruto sat on Sasuke's bed, occasionally stealing glances at his roommate. He, on the other hand, didn't_** dare **_attempt a conversation.

It seemed the only one uncomfortable with the quiet was Naruto. He tried to get the raven to notice numerous times by shifting, sniffling, coughing, sighing, but none of it seemed to get his attention. Or at least, his face didn't show any hint. The blond eventually pressed his back against the headboard and leaned his head up in defeat.

Minutes slowly dragged by and still Sasuke seemed completely untouched by the outside world. Again Naruto found himself feeling like he didn't exist.

Pained blue eyes settled themselves on the boy beside the window. Maybe staring would work, Naruto couldn't even begin to number the times when Sasuke had stared at him for something and the blond had felt it nearly instantly, in the form of a cold shiver traveling up his spine.

All of the whiskered boy's energy focused on the raven, so much so that he was leaning foreward and had he slipped an inch, would be on the floor quicker than he could react.

One second...

Nothing.

Two seconds...

_Still _nothing.

Three seconds...

Sasuke raised his fist and quietly coughed into it.

Naruto leaped up and pointed accusingly at Sasuke.** "You reacted! I saw it, I saw it!"**

Those cool dark eyes narrowed, but Naruto didn't freeze in his tracks like he normally would. Instead, he crossed his arms and stood triumphantly.

As much as Sasuke wanted to glare at the kitsune, he felt another cough travel up his throat, followed by another, and shortly after that a fourth one.

Concern for the boy once again overwhelmed anything else Naruto felt. He watched Sasuke cough and crept up to his side, slowly pressing his hand against the raven's forehead. Despite his attempts to swat Naruto's hand away, Sasuke could only keep his own hand firmly clamped around his mouth.

Naruto was alarmed to see that Sasuke's forehead felt boiling hot under his fingertips. He thought a moment, then came up with an idea. Grabbing Sasuke, he gently led him over to his bed. For the second time Sasuke wanted to fight back, but his coughs were too strong for him to retaliate.

**"N-Naruto, stop...leave me be..." **he rasped weakly.

But the kitsune wouldn't listen. He pulled back the covers on Sasuke's bed and set him on it, quickly wrapping him back up in the blankets. Then in a flash, the blond took off for the kitchen. Over the throbbing in his head, Sasuke heard the faint sound of running water. Moments later Naruto appeared beside him and carefully set a cool and moist washcloth over Sasuke's forehead.

Naruto watched Sasuke's face, trying to decipher whatever messages might be hidden there. Sasuke stared back at him blankly, until he coughed and his face twisted with pain.

The coldest shiver of all bolted up Naruto's spine then. He had never in all his life seen Sasuke this weak and vulnerable before. It scared him more than whatever the raven haired boy might do to him when he was well again.

Determination suddenly flared up in his cobalt eyes, and his fists clenched tightly.

**"Stay here, Sasuke. I'm going to go get help for you, whether you like it or not!"**

He took one last look at Sasuke's rather shocked expression before turning and bolting down the hallway for the door. The blond practically broke it down as he wrenched it open and hurled himself into the storm.

Sasuke's eyes remained on the doorway where Naruto had been seconds before. A thousand different emotions seemed to swirl within him, a thousand very un-Uchiha like emotions. Finally he released a sigh and let himself rest against the pillow. He watched shadows dance across the ceiling while his thoughts invaded, questions gently curling themselves around his consciousness.

There was no doubt that the dobe was actually concerned for his well-being. You'd have to be an absolute idiot to look into that icy fire he had seen and not feel the intensity of the boy's passion.

A smirk curved Sasuke's lips. So that's what it was, then? Passion? For what exactly? The one who treated him the worst?

His mocking question answered itself. Yes...

Yes, Naruto cared. Cared about the very person who treated him no better than the dirt under his feet.

Sasuke's eyes widened and his breathing came heavier. The realization that someone felt this way towards him was almost too much. For a time, the Uchiha felt a very uncharacteristic eruption of gratitude and wonder. It felt disturbing, but also so good.

Someone cared for him_ that _much...

And he cared back.

* * *

**  
**

**"Please Miss, open up!"**

Naruto slammed his fists on the doors of the Pharmacy. If he had been pounding any harder, the doors, which were made of glass, would most certainly shatter. The lights were on inside and he could see a middle-aged woman going around locking things up for the night. For the longest time she seemed to not hear the blond's frantic pounding on the doors, but finally his shouting caused her to look up in alarm.

The sight of a young boy standing in the pouring rain and calling out to her made her gasp. She hurried over to the doors and quickly unlocked them. The moment Naruto heard the click he pushed the doors open and hurried past her, thanking her in a breathless shout.

**"Young man, what's wrong?"** she asked, puzzled as she watched Naruto desperately search the aisles for medicine.

**"My friend's sick! He's coughing and feels really hot!"**

The woman thought a moment before gently setting her hands on Naruto's shoulders. **"I know just what you need. Follow me, hon."**

She led him to the Fever and Cold section and browsed a minute or two before tapping a box with her finger and lifting it from the shelf. She held it for Naruto to see. All he recognized on the box was "instant relief" and "comforts symptoms". That was all he needed to know.

**"Great! Thanks,"** he went to take it, but the lady held it out of reach with a rather amused glitter in her eye.

**"Wait just a moment. Wouldn't you like to see how to administer it?"**

The question quickly got lost in Naruto's currently cluttered brain.

**"...administer?"** he inquired, confused.

The woman let out a chuckle and beckoned Naruto over to a nearby counter. She began showing him how to give the medicine, with those blue eyes watching ever so carefully, noting every detail.

* * *

**"Finally, you use this to squeeze two drops on his tongue. That's it!"**

Naruto saved everything he had learned in his mental files. Thinking of Sasuke back home made him return to panic mode.

**"Thanks a lot, Miss, but I really gotta get back now!" he scooped everything up into his arms. "I'll pay for it all tomorrow!"**

He headed for the door, only to be paused by a chuckle from the woman. He looked over his shoulder, a curious look on his face.

**"Your friend must be very special to you. He's lucky to have someone who will run through this horrible weather for him. Good luck!"**

Despite the circumstances, Naruto gave the woman his big, trademark grin.

**"Oh, and you may have that medicine for free. My little gift."**

**"YEEEEES! THANK YOU THANK YOOOU!"**

And with that, the kitsune took off, splashing through the mud and running against the driving rain.

The woman watched him disappear into the rain and smiled gently.

**"That boy is certainly one of a kind. I wonder where all the enthusiasm came from," **she pondered to herself while she finished locking up the Pharmacy.

* * *

_'Hang on, Sasuke...I'm almost there...'_

Naruto sprinted through the storm, hearing nothing but the rain, occasional rolls of thunder, the howling wind, and his own thoughts.

The usual dirt roads criss-crossing Konoha had turned to thick mud that sucked at Naruto's feet as he ran. He slipped a number of times, actually falling twice.

By the time he reached the apartment, he was caked in the sticky brown mixture of dirt and rain. His breath wheezed from all the effort, and he almost had to drag himself back to Sasuke's room.

There lie his roommate, his usual pale complexion nearly glowing in the moonlight that was now coming in through the window. Outside things were beginning to calm down; the rain fell more gently against the window.

Naruto quietly stepped up to Sasuke's bed, holding the medicine tightly to his chest. Sasuke was asleep, but he stirred and his dark eyes fluttered open as he felt the blond watching him. He almost looked relieved when he saw Naruto standing there, but maybe it was just the light.

The raven looked Naruto over, noticing he was muddy and dripped water from his hair.** "Naruto..."**

The blond shook his head, unknowingly spraying some rain drops.** "Don't. I brought you some medicine, it'll help you."**

Sasuke watched curiously as Naruto set everything down and began preparing the various little instruments that came with the kit. He was oddly serious as he worked almost professionally through the steps.

When it came time for the drops, Naruto bit his lip. From his own experience, he knew medicine tended to taste nasty, but he wanted to help Sasuke as much as he could.

**"Okay, stick out your tongue..."**

Sasuke hesitated, but obeyed Naruto's orders. _Drip drip_...Naruto waited.

Sasuke's nose scrunched up ever so slightly, but he managed to swallow it with relative ease. Shocked, Naruto stared at him and then at the medicine.

**"Wait, isn't this...REALLY gross?"**

Before Sasuke could answer or stop him, Naruto stuck out is own tongue and squeezed out two more drops. Istantly he regretted it. It was single-handedly one of the nastiest things he had ever tasted.

**"Oh, YUCK! Sasuke, how did you DO that?"**

Even though Naruto was making loud noises (which Sasuke usually despised), and was dancing around like an idiot on fire, the raven was quite amused.

"Naruto."

The blond stopped, despite the ickyness in his mouth, and waited for whatever Sasuke wanted to tell him. For some reason, he almost expected harsh words from the boy.

Instead, Sasuke surprised him.

**"Why don't you go get cleaned up? You're a mess."**

Naruto felt his mouth drop open. For the first time ever, he saw a smile on Sasuke's face. It was still his usual smirk, but this one appeared more affectionate somehow.

**"O-okay..."**

He unwillingly left Sasuke alone in his room as he grabbed a change of clothes from the living room (that had been converted to his bedroom) and headed to the shower. Once he was all cleaned up, Naruto took the time to wipe up the mud footprints he had left. He was sure Sasuke would appreciate that.

When everything was done, the blond quietly re-entered Sasuke's room. The raven was watching the outside world through his window, but looked over at Naruto when he came back. The whiskered boy was not used to this attention and under the onyx gaze, self-consciously made his way back over to Sasuke's bedside.

**"Are you feeling better?"** he asked, searching anxiously for any signs of discomfort in the raven.

Thankfully, the young Uchiha nodded. Naruto let out a relieved sigh.

* * *

They were quiet for the most part, and hours ticked by. Finally Naruto felt his eyelids grow heavy, and he rubbed at them with a tiny yawn.

**"Well, I better get to bed. See you in the morning Sas-"**

He was startled to feel a smooth hand grip his wrist gently. Sasuke looked up at him, and Naruto could have sworn he saw desperation there on his face.

**"Don't...go,"** he ordered in a low voice.

The initial shock of the two words made the blood rush to Naruto's cheeks. He swallowed a lump of nerves in his throat and took a seat on the other side of Sasuke, leaning his back against the headboard again.

**"Hey, Naruto..."**

The blond shifted to show he had heard Sasuke.

**"...thanks."**

Naruto's heart fluttered and his breath caught in his throat. Sasuke was _thanking_ him? He stared at his roommate, who was lying on his side now, facing away.

**"...you're welcome,"** he answered, slumping further into the headboard and after a while, falling asleep.

As he listened to the blond's gentle breathing, Sasuke closed his eyes.

For the first time in a long time, he wore a genuine smile.


End file.
